Quarterfly reuniting at Wild Wing Cafe

Thursday

Sep 4, 2014 at 12:01 AM

A few months ago, Tim Morelock watched "Pearl Jam Twenty," a 2011 documentary about one of his all-time favorite rock bands.

By DAN ARMONAITISdan.armonaitis@shj.com

A few months ago, Tim Morelock watched “Pearl Jam Twenty,” a 2011 documentary about one of his all-time favorite rock bands.He was immediately fired up, especially considering that conversations had just begun about the possibility of his own band, Quarterfly, reuniting with its original lineup.“I was watching (Pearl Jam's) story, and it was showing how they developed their songs and wrote together when they first started the band,” Morelock said. “And I was like, 'that's exactly what we do.' We write together. Everybody's got an equal value.”Shortly thereafter, he was once again playing bass with his Quarterfly co-founders: his brother Jeff Morelock on drums, Tony Slaughter on guitar and Kip Darby on lead vocals and guitar.Although Quarterfly didn't begin its recent hiatus until three years ago, it hadn't played together in its original incarnation since 2007. Thus, there's a particular excitement surrounding the Spartanburg-based band's hometown reunion concert Saturday at Wild Wing Café.“Walking back in (the rehearsal space), it was like it had never ended,” Slaughter said. “I mean, our chemistry is just that good together. It was like we were right there in the pocket again, and that's one of the things I love about it.”The word “chemistry” pops up a lot when the members of Quarterfly discuss what it's like to be performing again with its original lineup, which formed in 2004 and went on to open for such popular bands as Shinedown, Chevelle and Saving Abel while also having the opportunity to record with renowned producer Greg Archilla (Collective Soul, Buckcherry, etc.).“Chemistry is what drives it; it's the biggest motivation,” Darby said. “Not to say we don't enjoy playing in front of crowds of people, but sometimes when we're just by ourselves, the hair stands up on our arms over the music we create.”Darby then added with a laugh, “We're probably our biggest fans.”Of course, Quarterfly does have a sizable fan base in the Southeast. And it's worth noting that a version of the band led by Darby and Tim Morelock landed a major label record deal with Rock Ridge Music in 2010.

Although the deal fizzled out not long after Quarterfly's national debut album, “Do You Believe,” was released, the band — which also has two independent releases under its belt — wasn't deterred.“It was kind of tough,” Darby said. “But getting back with these guys and finding that chemistry again, you find out why you're really playing, and it kind of wipes all that out of the way.”Quarterfly is once again churning out the kind of melodic, 1990s-inspired alternative rock that made it one of the area's most popular bands of the past decade.“We're all doing it for the right reasons,” Jeff Morelock said. “If we're all having fun and enjoying it, that's all that really matters. If somebody else — even if it's just a couple of people — are enjoying it, that's a bonus.”The members of Quarterfly recently got their first taste of what they expect Saturday's hometown reunion concert to be like, having performed a warm-up gig in Greenville in August.“When you kick into a song and you see somebody's eyes light up because of a song that's yours and not a cover song, that's amazing,” Tim Morelock said.“They're having the same feeling we're having. It's like 'Oh, I remember this from 10 years ago.' That's cool.”

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